Easel



(N0 Model.) I

HMIRK, 'EASEL.

No. 498,578. Patented May 30, 1893.

L1 I V U h V 219 J- '77 a?!" I [lg/M58858: INVENTOH VGA I I BY V W 6 ATTORNEYS,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIC MAURICE SCI-IMIRK, OF FAYETTE, MISSOURI.

EASEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 493,578, dated May 30, 1893. Application filed October 31, 1892. fien'al No. 450,507. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, IVIAURIGE SCHMIRK, of Fayette, in the county of Howard and State of Missouri, have invented a new and Improved Easel, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved easel, which is simple and durable in construction, is more especially designed for the use of painters and other artists, and is arranged to be readily adjusted to any desired angle or extended for supporting large canvases.

The invention consists of a rack pivoted on a stand, and an extension rack fitted to slide on the said main rack and provided with fas-- tening devices for looking a picture frame in place.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a front view of the same. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the rack; and Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the fastening device. 1

The improved easel is provided with a stand having feet A, A, connected with each other by a foot bar B and supporting posts 0 and C respectively, on which are held vertically adjustable the posts D and D respectively, by means of bolts E, each held in a post 0 or G, and passing through a vertical slot D in the extension post D or D. A screw F is fastened in each of the posts D and D and extends through a vertical slot C formed in the respective posts 0 or 0, so as to guide the posts D and D in the proper position. The upper ends of the extension posts D and D are connected with each other by a bar G fastened in place by keys or other suitable devices.

The extreme upper ends of the extension posts D and D are pivotally connected with short arms H and H respectively, projecting rearward from a rack I adapted to support the canvas or picture frame. The rack I is provided on its side bars with pivoted arms J, each provided at its underside with notches adaptedto be engaged with a pin K secured on the inside of the respective extension posts D or D. It will be seen that by means of the notched arms J the rack I can be locked in any desired inclined position to hold the picture or canvas frame at any desired angle for the artist to Work on.

The front of the rack I is provided with the usual foot .bar L on which the canvas or pic ture frame is set, and on this foot bar is arranged a fastening device N consisting of a metallic plate N held transversely adjustable on top of the foot board. The rear end of this plate N is formed with an upwardly-extending flange N adapted to engage the front face of the picture supported on the rack I. The outer end of the plate N is provided with a downwardly-turned flange N adapted to abut on the front edge of the foot board L. A screw 0 held in the foot board passes through a transverse slot N in the plate N, so as to fasten the latter in place when properly adj usted; that is, at the time the-flange N engages the picture frame, as above mentioned.

On the inner surfaces of the sidebars of the rack I are formed grooves in which is fitted to slide an extension rack P formed with a series of transversely extending bars'P, each supporting a fastening device Q similar in construction to the fastening device N above described, so that a more detailed description of the same is not deemed necessary. Springs R held on the side bars of the main rack I engage, with their free ends, the back. surface of the side bars of the extension rack P to hold the latter in place. The springs, however, do not prevent the operator from moving the extension frame up and down when desired. p

In order to lock the canvas or picture frame in position on the rack I, the extension rack P is moved upward until one of the bars P is above the top edge of the picture frame, after which the respective fastening device Q of this bar P is engaged with its flange N over the front of the picture, and then the fastening device is locked in place by the respective bolt 0, as above described.

The flanges N of the fastening devices Q not used fit into the recesses formed in the front surface of the respective bar P, which latter, in turn, are flush with the front edges of the side bars of the rackI so as to form no obstruction whatever to the frame carrying the canvas for the picture.

It will be seen that by means of this device the rack I can be raised or lowered by adjusting the extension legs D or D to suit the artist, and the rack I can be moved into any desired position, either inclined, vertical or horizontal, as the case may be.

It will further be seen that the frame carrying the canvas for the picture is securely held in place on the rack, which latter, by the extension rack P, is arranged to accommodate any desired size of canvas frame.

Having thus fully described myinvention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. An easel provided with a vertically movable slide and a series of transversely movable clampiug devices mounted on the slide in different horizontal planes and all adapted to be moved inwardly flush with the face of the slide, substantially as set forth.

2. An easel provided at its lower edge with a ledge or rest having a clamp to secure the lower edge of the article supported on the ledge or rest, a vertically movable slide having angular clamps in different horizontal planes and each adjustable forwardly and rearwardly to engage and overhang the upper edge of the said article, substantially as set forth. v

3. An easel having a supporting ledge or rest L, provided with a slotted clamp N having an adjusting screw, a vertically movable slide P having cross bars, provided with slot ted angular clamps Q each adjustable forwardly and backwardly to engage and overhang the upper edge of the article, and friction springs on the easel and engaging the said slide to hold it at any desired height, substantially as set forth.

4. An easel provided with a supportingledge provided with an adjustable clamp to bind the lower edge of the article, and an angular clamp above the ledge and adjustable vertically and also adjustable backwardly and forwardly, substantially as set forth.

5. A hinged swinging easel having avertically adjustable support, means for adjusting the screw at any desired angle on its support, a vertically movable slide mounted between the side bars of the easel proper and having cross bars provided with adjustable angular clamps Q movable backwardly and forwardly to engage the upper edge of the article and a bottom clamp N on the easel ledge to clamp the lower edge of the article, substantially as set forth.

MAURICE SOHMIRK.

Witnesses:

E. W. BEDFORD, R. P. WILLIAMS. 

